James goad



.in its natural state.

JAMES cone, or IIUMBOLDT, MIOFL, ASSIGNOR or TWO-THIRDS HIS RIGHT TO nuensn s. set. CLAIR AND GEORGE A. s1. CLAIR, 0F SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLASTlNG COMPOUNDS.

I Specification forming'part of Letters PatentN o. 175,929, dated April 11, 1876; application filed March 25, 1876.

-which it app'ertains to make and use the same.

Hitherto great danger has attended the manufacture and use of nitroglycerinc, its

compounds, and substances having like characteristics. Having experimented inthe preparation and use of the foregoing, l have discovered thata composition consisting of specially-prepared nitro-glycerine combined with natural-decayed wood or equivalent vegetable fiber, in the same state or condit-iernis comparatively safe to handle, while the explosive eii'ect of nitroleum is re'tdined. The compound which I prepare may be exploded with primer or cup of fulminate of mercury or other violent ignitant, either when frozen or Diiferent grades of explosives or explosive power may be obtained,

by varying the proportion of the constituents,

without departing from my invention. To prepare the nitro-glycerine, which I use as one of the principal constituents, I take three fourths (2) of one part of common glycerine of com1neree,to which I add nine and onefourth (9&) parts of a mixture composed as follows:

Sulphuric acid of 66 per cent. Reaumer, v

sixty parts; nitric acid of 50 per cent. Itea'u-.

mer, common salt, one part. the glycerine, ard after reaction wash until-the thirty-nine parts; chloride of sodium'or acid is thoroughly eliminated. This forms 12 I pounds of nitro-glycerine.

I then take, to make a powder of the most powerful kind, the following, to wit:

Nitro-glycerine, seventy-five parts; nitcr, five parts; nature-decayed wood, twenty parts, and, after first pulverizing or comminuting the decayed wood and niter mix them thoroughly together and add the nitroglycerine, slowly-until absorbed.

When a powder of less power And for another class, nitro-glycerine, thirty parts; common blasting-powder, sixty parts; nature-decayed wood, ten parts.

The above powders can be made, if judged expedient, with a hot solution of niter in water ihstead of pulverizing it.

Having thus described the object and na! ture of my invention, I claim- An explosive compound consisting of nitroglyccrine, as described, and decayed wood, substantially as set forth.

in testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES OOAD.

Witnesses:

ANTOINE VAYTLINE, JAMES 0, ST. CLAIR.

Mixthoroughly with than the above is desired, I use the following combina- 

